Locarno Unveils High-Profile Lineup

New topper Chatrian makes diversity his ‘mantra’

ROME — The 66th Locarno Film Festival has unveiled a promisingly diverse lineup, comprising a greater number of established international auteurs, along with newcomers, and also crowdpleasers such as Richard Curtis-helmed time-travel romcom “About Time,” from Universal, for its first edition under new artistic topper Carlo Chatrian.

As previously announced, the Swiss shindig will kick off August 7 with the international launch of Baltasar Kormakur’s buddy cop actioner “2 Guns,” unspooling August 7 on the fest’s 8,000-seat outdoor Piazza Grande venue with the Icelandic helmer in tow. Sony is handling most international territories.

“I am very happy about the positive response we’ve had from the majors this year,” said Chatrian, whose first move, once installed, was to fly to L.A.

That said, the venerable fest dedicated to quality cinema and discoveries, has not lost its edge, and Chatrian is making “diversity of the mix my mantra.”

Piazza Grande pics will compete for the Prix du Public audience award and the Variety Piazza Grande Award given by Variety critics to the best fest title unspooling on Europe’s largest open-air venue combining artistic excellence and commercial potential.

The 20-title competish features 18 world preems and is characterized by a strong Asian contingent.

Two Asian entries are from Japan: the world preem of Locarno regular Shinji Aoyama’s sadistic sex psychodrama “Backwater,” and the international preem of sci-fier “Real,” from prolific helmer Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Tokyo Sonata).

Also from Asia, is the world preem of South Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo’s latest drama “Our Sunhi,” which follows his “Nobody’s Daughter Haewon,” which competed earlier this year in Berlin.

From Taiwan is country-set delicate coming-of-ager “A Time in Quchi,” by Chang Tso-chi (Soul of a Demon), a former assistant of Hou Hsiao-hsien.

The U.S. is repped by SXSW winner “Short Term 12,” writer-director Destin Cretton’s sophomore work set in a house for damaged adolescents and starring Brie Larson.

The more cutting-edge Cineasts of the Present section is mostly first works (14 out 16 entries), including Matt Johnson’s Slamdance standout “The Dirties,” about school bullies.

“It was important for me to really differentiate the main competition from the Cineasts of the Present,” Chatrian said.

Heading the main competition jury is Filipino auteur Lav Diaz whose latest work “Norte, the End of History” recently unspooled at Cannes.

As previously announced, the Locarno closer will be Gallic docu “On the Way to School,” helmed by Pascal Plisson, about four kids overcoming obstacles to make their way from home to the classroom in four different corners of the world. “School” will unspool on the Piazza Grande on August 17.